Technical Field
The present invention pertains to a catheter-fixing tool for fixing a catheter to a patient's skin.
Description of Related Art
In recent years, treatment and diagnosis in medical settings have been performed making widespread use of catheters. Because at the time of use it is necessary to reliably hold the catheter tip in place at an appropriate site for diagnosis or treatment, the external part of this type of catheter that comes out of the skin is generally fixed to the patient.
Catheter fixing tools used when a catheter is fixed to the surface of a patient's body have been proposed in the past as a means for securing the catheter to the patient. Catheter fixing tools of this type, for example, have been equipped with a fixing tool main body consisting of soft resin and securing member components composed of metal or resin which are stiffer than the fixing tool main body.
A retaining part able to insert and locate the catheter is provided in the fixing tool main body. In the state where the catheter is inserted and located, the catheter periphery is for the most part covered by the retaining part. In order to give a sufficient stiffening effect to the fixing tool main body, the securing member covers the fixing tool main body from above. As a result, by tightly fastening the retaining part, the catheter becomes securely held in place.
Several other proposals have been made as previously existing technology for this sort of catheter fixing tool. See for example, Unexamined Japanese Application Publication No. 2003-154012 and Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2008-212434. In addition to tools separately configured as fixing tool main body and securing member, there are also interlocking and integrated tools.
However, in conventional catheter fixing tools, because a pressing force is added onto the skin when the securing member covers and interlocks from the vertical direction of the fixing tool main body, the skin is compressed, and a physical burden is placed on the patient. In addition, because a patient's skin has elasticity, there is the drawback that it is difficult to insert the catheter into the retaining part.
At this point, when covering and interlocking the securing member to the fixing tool main body, if it is possible to access the securing member not from the top but from the side of the fixing tool main body, compression of the skin is thought to become less likely. In this case, it is necessary to initially locate the securing member having it protrude out to a large extent from the fixing tool main body and for sliding to start from this position, hence, is necessary to assure in advance that there is space on the periphery of the catheter-fixing tool. However, in addition to the fact that skin is uneven rather than flat, other medical devices or equipment and the like may also be placed around the catheter fixing tool.
Because of this, depending on circumstances it is not necessarily a simple matter to assure there is space for the sliding operation. Consequently, construction of a catheter fixing tool is desired that saves space and can be manipulated to put on and take off
The present invention has taken into account the aforementioned problem. The object of the present invention is to provide a catheter fixing tool that can stably hold a catheter fixed without putting excessive burden on a patient when it is fixed on the patient and that can be operated in a space-saving manner